[Detected Host severely injured, facing death threat, consume ten thousand drops of Spirit Liquid for repair?]
Just as Qin Xiao helplessly chose to give up, the System's voice rang out again.
"Repair, repair, repair immediately."
Qin Xiao could not afford to hesitate; when survival was on the line, who wanted to die?
[Deducted ten thousand drops of Spirit Liquid, Host's body repair completed.]
Instantly, the System's voice sounded once more.
Qin Xiao felt an overwhelming wave of comfort wash over his entire body. Every trace of pain vanished as if nothing had ever happened, and his physique continued to undergo profound transformations.
The Crimson Flame Savage Bull did not attack again because Qin Xiao lay motionless on the ground. As for devouring Qin Xiao's corpse, it did not dare; if the giant ape arrived and found no body left behind, its own fate would be miserable.
After about a minute, Qin Xiao's body began to emit a brilliant golden radiance.
This commotion startled the nearby Crimson Flame Savage Bull, which approached Qin Xiao with suspicious steps.
[Congratulations Host successfully reached Body Refinement Third Layer, unlocking fifth layer.]
It turned out that the ten thousand drops of Spirit Liquid had directly propelled Qin Xiao past the Body Refinement Second Layer and straight into the third.
The Body Refinement Third Layer was renowned for strength capable of shattering mountains and a constitution as indomitable as vajra. In other words, Qin Xiao's physical strength had undergone a qualitative leap, and his body had gained a terrifying enhancement, effectively eliminating any risk of permanent disability.
Once the golden light receded, Qin Xiao dropped the act and sprang directly to his feet.
The Crimson Flame Savage Bull had never expected this human to stand back up. Enraged, it immediately launched another assault, its nostrils venting crimson Spiritual Qi while its entire body wrapped in flames-the very characteristic from which it derived its name.
This time, Qin Xiao did not dodge. Sensing that he could withstand the onslaught, he resolved to test his newfound strength.
Seeing Qin Xiao stand his ground only fueled the beast's fury as it charged straight at him.
Having reached the Body Refinement Third Layer, not only had his strength and defense surged, but his reflexes had also sharpened to the point where he could clearly track the Crimson Flame Savage Bull's movement.
Qin Xiao raised both hands and grabbed directly at the beast's horns.
A tremendous force drove him rapidly backward, snapping countless trees and shattering rocks in his wake, yet he refused to release his grip, holding fast to the horns.
Whether from exhaustion or sudden wariness, the Crimson Flame Savage Bull halted its charge. Qin Xiao was pinned against a massive boulder, but his hands remained locked firmly in place.
"Truly worthy of a savage bull renowned for its strength. I almost couldn't hold on."
Seeing the beast stop, Qin Xiao finally allowed his numb arms a brief respite.
The Crimson Flame Savage Bull tried to back away upon realizing its horns were still trapped, but Qin Xiao had no intention of letting it escape.
"You've had your turn pushing me. Now it's mine."
Exerting his utmost strength, Qin Xiao forced the massive beast back several paces while applying immense leverage to its horns.
Sensing danger, the bull tried to brace itself, but Qin Xiao's upward force had lifted its hind legs off the ground, rendering them useless and trapping it completely.
Without wasting any time, Qin Xiao hoisted the colossal Crimson Flame Savage Bull into the air and slammed it hard against the boulder behind him.
The beast's vision swam with stars from the impact, but before it could recover, another blow followed.
Continuous crashes echoed through the clearing as Qin Xiao lost himself in the momentum, venting his exertion in a flurry of strikes.
Only when exhaustion finally caught up to him did Qin Xiao stop. By then, the Crimson Flame Savage Bull was completely lifeless, its massive frame battered to a pulp.
The Dark Night Wind Wolf, which had retreated earlier to search for medicinal herbs, heard the commotion and crept back. It arrived just in time to see Qin Xiao resting on the ground in exhaustion.
Catching sight of the slain Crimson Flame Savage Bull, the Dark Night Wind Wolf turned and fled without hesitation. It had already suffered at this human's hands, and since even the savage bull was dead, it knew it stood no chance.
"Oh? You actually dare come back."
Catching sight of the fleeing beast, Qin Xiao surged with renewed energy and gave chase.
The physical enhancement of the Body Refinement Third Layer was truly terrifying. Even the notoriously swift Dark Night Wind Wolf failed to shake him off, and Qin Xiao steadily closed the distance.
In an open plain, he might have struggled to outrun the wolf, but this was a dense forest. The beast's massive frame lacked agility in the cluttered terrain, allowing Qin Xiao to match its pace and steadily narrow the gap through sheer maneuverability.
Realizing escape was impossible, the Dark Night Wind Wolf stopped. The location was remote and far from its pack, leaving it with no choice but to fight. It refused to believe it was as foolish as the savage bull that had fallen for human tricks.
"Not running anymore?"
Cautious of a trap, Qin Xiao scanned his surroundings as he approached.
The Dark Night Wind Wolf answered with flashing claws.
After wheeling around to fix its gaze on him, the wolf had waited for a moment of distraction before launching a sudden ambush. Having learned its lesson, it kept its jaws shut and relied entirely on its razor-sharp claws.
"Damn it, even a Demon Beast knows how to launch a sneak attack."
Thanks to his newly elevated reflexes, Qin Xiao barely managed to sidestep the lethal strike.
"Since you want to play dirty, don't blame me."
Channeling his strength, Qin Xiao surged forward.
His speed now rivaled that of the wolf, and caught off guard by the sudden counterattack, the beast twisted its body to lash out with its tail.
Though not its primary weapon, a tail honed by cultivation to the hardness of mysterious iron was formidable. The wolf did not expect to kill Qin Xiao with it, but hoped at least to disrupt his assault.
It miscalculated. Qin Xiao ignored the incoming tail entirely, converting his fist into a claw and seizing it mid-swing.
"Hehe, you delivered that right to me. Thanks.
A mischievous grin spread across Qin Xiao's face.
Bracing his stance, he gripped the wolf's tail and began to spin.
The sudden, violent pull threw the beast off balance, dragging its entire body down before centrifugal force whipped it into a high-speed rotation.
With Qin Xiao's present strength, swinging the wolf around was effortless. After a few revolutions, he began slamming it back and forth against the ground on either side.
The Dark Night Wind Wolf felt the world turn upside down as agony wracked its entire body. Unable to beg for mercy in human speech, its bones shattered and its Spiritual Qi scattered beyond control until it was battered to death.
"Finally done."
Qin Xiao released the tail and casually dusted off his hands.
Staring at the carcass, he suddenly wondered if the System Space could store it, which would make for quite a windfall.
Though he did not lack Spirit Stones, certain materials could not simply be bought on demand. A Demon Beast of this caliber yielded valuable parts suitable for forging Spirit Weapons or refining pills.
"It actually worked? Excellent."
With a single thought, the wolf's corpse vanished into the System Space, leaving Qin Xiao thoroughly satisfied.
Although the entire carcass occupied a single storage slot-each of which could stack up to nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine identical items-it mattered little given how much vacant space he currently had.
With the wolf secured, Qin Xiao returned to retrieve the carcass of the Golden Core stage Crimson Flame Savage Bull, unwilling to let such valuable material go to waste.
Because Qin Xiao was regarded as a mortal, only two Golden Core stage beasts had targeted him. The others were far less fortunate, pursued relentlessly by packs of seven or eight-or even dozens-of beasts at or above their own realm.
"Master, run! There's a peak Nascent Soul stage beast right behind us!"
Just as Qin Xiao finished collecting the bull and prepared to rest, Yun Man flashed overhead, shouting a hasty warning as she flew past.
"Are you trying to get your own master killed?"
Leaving no room for hesitation, Qin Xiao scrambled to his feet and bolted in the opposite direction.